Success leaves
clues
It’s been said that ‘success leaves clues’, and as it relates to strength
training, one with a keen eye and deep understanding of biomechanics and
physiology, as well as programming, can pick up on subtle variables when
analyzing the training routines of past champions of the iron game in an
attempt to seek out clues that may have lead to their success so that they can
apply them to their own training routines. To the ‘untrained eye’ however,
finding clues may not be all that easy and here’s why.
Keep it simple!
More often than not clues are ‘hidden’ (if we can even call it that) in
plain vision, and analyzing the training routines of great champions of the iron
game’s past usually reveal but one, subtle, common denominator in most cases,
and that is: all great champions pretty much stuck to the basics/fundamentals.
Whether it be bodybuilding, powerlifting, or any other sport that heavily
relies on strength training to give an individual the greatest physical
advantage, at the end of the day, the greats kept it simple! And while keeping
it simple in almost all cases will lead to the greatest reward per investment
of time/effort, finding out that the same exercises you’re currently doing are
no different than what launched the greats before us to the top, doesn’t really
provide that satisfying ‘ah ha’ moment that comes from discovering a missing piece
to a puzzle that one feels would maximize their training and take their body to
the next level.
Genetics, although
out of your control, are the greatest determining factor
So what can what be taken from this ‘keep it simple’ mentality that helped
propel the greats before us to levels most will only dream of? Well, for one,
it could be perceived to mean that the great champions that we celebrate,
whether they be bodybuilders, powerlifters, World’s Strongest Man competitors,
etc, likely succeeded in spite of how they trained, not because of how they
trained. When you think about the fact that many others who aspire to be great
in a given field are doing the same things that the champions are doing, and
not getting the same return on their investment, then obvious logic would
suggest that genetics play a huge role in determining the outcome. If not, then
seemingly anyone could reach world class levels by simply outworking every
other competitor, but this just isn’t the case.
The combination of
talent and skill trumps all
Not to defer anyone from pursuing their dream of attaining heights that
only few will ever reach, or to take away from the accomplishments of great
champions before us by insinuating that they lacked the work ethic needed to be
the best at their respective sport, but more so to imply that when you combine
God given ability/natural talent, with very, very hard work to perfect ones
skills, it doesn’t really matter what it is that’s done (as far as specifics
are concerned, ex. exercise selection, rep range, training split, etc), as long
as the effort is there not much will be able to prevent one from achieving what
they’d originally set out to accomplish in the beginning. This is unfortunate
for those who thrive on simply working harder than others to make up for a lack
of natural talent, and adhere to the ‘hard work beats talent, when talent
doesn’t work hard’ slogan, because when talent works hard, ones without the
same level of talent likely don’t stand a chance!
A prime example of
talent and skill
Take for example, 8 time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, one who many consider
to be the most dominant, and successful bodybuilder to ever walk on a
bodybuilding stage. Legend has it that Ronnie started out as a regular guy who
simply trained because he loved to lift weights (albeit, extremely heavy) and
bodybuilding was not his first passion. Ronnie would have excelled as a
powerlifter, but the owner of the gym he trained at saw potential in him as a
bodybuilder and had apparently encouraged him to enter a bodybuilding
competition. The rest as they say is history.
The point here is that someone like Ronnie was born with the genetics
needed to become a great champion in the bodybuilding world, and as long as he
worked hard, sticking to the basics was all that was needed to do, and nothing
was going to stop him from getting to the top and staying there. He isn’t known
to have used any fancy equipment, or special techniques. Hell, he trained in a
gym in the middle of Texas that doesn’t even have air conditioning!
If it was easy,
everyone would/could do it
While some may point the obvious finger at the likely usage of
anabolics/androgenics playing a huge role in Ronnie’s near flawless physique
(by bodybuilding standards), legend has it that he was able to attain a ‘pro
card’ without ever using anabolics/androgenics (Kai Greene is another example
of someone who reportedly turned pro before using anabolics/androgenics further
cementing the point about genetics being a determining factor). When you look
at the bigger picture though, it’s not like there aren’t many, many others who
share the same dream of becoming Mr. Olympia, willing to do just as much, if
not more, anabolics/androgenics, or whatever else it takes to get there, along
with hard work. But yet and still, for almost a decade, Ronnie was as
unbeatable as anyone the bodybuilding world has ever seen.
Perception is
everything
To those looking for that missing piece of the puzzle, it may be
demotivating to find out that there aren’t really any secrets when it comes to
strength training, at least none that would trump the basic fundamentals.
However, those who are not certain whether or not the most basic of movements
are all it takes to build championship physiques/strength levels should be
inspired to realize that hard work is the greatest limiting factor within ones
control (the greatest limiting factor out of one’s control being their
genetics). Regardless of whether you train recreationally, or intend to take
your physique as far as your genetics will allow, sticking to the basic fundamentals
more often than not, and keeping things as simple as possible, is all that
you’ll ever need to do, as long as minor adjustments are made along the way.
The exception to
the rule
Though keeping it simple has likely produced more great champions than any
other principle/method, that isn’t to say that one cannot succeed while
travelling down path less travelled, it’s just not as common. There are rare
occasions where I’ll stumble upon something that is a little unconventional in
my attempt to constantly ‘sharpen my skills’, and facilitates the expansion of
my horizons.
You’ll always find
what you’re looking for
For those who feel that sticking to the basics is either boring, redundant,
or not producing the result it once had, and are convinced that there has to be
effective, proven, alternatives out there, there are. But, as stated at the
beginning they’re not always easy to find.
Because bodybuilding is a subjective sport which contains a lot of ‘grey
area’, in which the winners are based on the opinions of others (preselected
judges), and powerlifting is an objective sport which is very ‘black and white’,
in which the winners are based on whether or not a lift was successfully
completed, it’s difficult to add quantifiable value to the effectiveness of an
exercise promoted by a bodybuilder as opposed to a powerlifter.
For example, a bodybuilder may endorse a certain exercise and suggest that
it was influential in improving the development of a lagging muscle group, when
really, the individual in question may have simply been an exception, and made
drastic improvements in spite of what they did (which is very often the case
with the genetically advantaged bodybuilders). Because bodybuilders primarily strive
to increase their muscle mass (grey area – can’t be measured), and secondarily
seek to improve their strength levels (black and white – can be measured), it’s
difficult to quantify how effective a certain movement has been, and their
improved muscular development may easily be the result of several other factors
(increased protein intake, increased training frequency – specialization,
increased anabolic/androgenic dosage, etc).
All factors being equal, powerlifters can more effectively suggest how
influential any given movement was, by simply tracking their strength levels as
they substitute various exercises in, and out, or their programs. If their
strength increases faster as a result of supplementing a certain exercise into
their routine, there’s no doubt as to whether or not that exercise positively
impacted the end result. Same goes if their strength fails to increase, or even
decreases.
Objective vs.
subjective
This simple perspective on objective vs. subjective acts as a compass in
that it points to the training of powerlifters as a more reliable source for
discovering ‘hidden gems’. Here are some of those gems:
Karwoski
Shrug/Row: Kirk Karwoski has popularized his variation of a shrug combined with an
upright row used to primarily develop the traps. The lift is performed with a
barbell, although it can be performed with a smith-machine, or even a cable
attachment (provided the cable stack has enough weight to be effective given
your current strength levels), and is executed by pulling the barbell up into
your belly button where it is held for a brief moment to intensify the
contraction.
*The Karwoski Shrug/Row is the absolute best trap builder that I have
personally found. Definitely a hidden gem!
JM Press: JM Blakely
popularized his variation of a close-grip bench press combined with a lying
triceps extension used to primarily develop the triceps, as well as improve
lockout strength on the bench press (which is something he’d know something
about, considering he’s benched over 700 lbs.). Like the Karwoski Shrug/Row,
the JM Press is performed with a barbell, but can also be performed very
effectively, and safely, with a smith-machine, or on the floor as well, and is
executed by lowering the barbell to the upper chest/neck region, while keeping
the elbows tucked to the sides of the body.
Reverse-Grip Bench
Press: Anthony Clark popularized the use of a reverse grip while bench pressing,
to increase his bench press strength (which is something he’d know something
about, considering he’s benched over 680 lbs.). The theory here, in my mind anyway,
is that, the stronger you are in a mechanically disadvantageous position, the
stronger you will automatically be when in a mechanically advantageous
position. Like the Karwoski Shrug/Row, and the JM Press, the reverse-grip bench
press is performed with a barbell (although a spotter will be needed to hand
you the weight and help you rack it), but can also be performed very
effectively, and safely, with a smith-machine, or on the floor as well.
Trap-Bar Deadlift: Al Gerard inspired
the development of a trap-bar to perform deadlifts as a way to work around a
chronic lower back injury. The hammer strength shrug machine can alternatively
be used to perform a similar movement of a trap bar deadlift.
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